Essential holiday reads

Whatever your genre of choice, here’s our pick of the best holiday reads to keep you entertained this summer.

The holiday season is well and truly upon us and, whatever your style, there’s nothing better when on holiday than kicking back with a good book.

In celebration of ‘Book Lovers Day’ in August, we bring you our choice of the top 11 books to pass the days on your summer holiday.

1. The Woman in White, Wilkie CollinsThe first novel on our list is a classic. If you love a good mystery when you’re on your holidays that keeps you guessing until the very end, then this is one for you. There’s a lot of characters, many of which narrate part of the story at different points, so it’s not the easiest book to follow, but it’s well worth the extra effort.

2. Memoirs of a geisha, Arthur GoldenIf you’re looking for something a little easier to read, try this fictional biography of a young girl sold into the world of the Japanese geisha. It follows her journey from the tender age of nine and allows the reader to watch how she learns to survive in an environment set so far apart from the one she’s been used to.

3. The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, Jonas JonassonThis comic novel, by the Swedish author and journalist, follows the story of a centenarian who escapes his mundane life at the old people’s home where he resides and somehow manages to outwit and outrun everyone who’s on his case.

4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan DoyleAnother classic mystery, this collection of short stories makes for the perfect holiday read. The plots are intriguing and the stories are nice and short, making for a very welcome break for the occasional cocktail refill. A personal favourite is The Man with the Twisted Lip.

5. Sex and the City, Candace BushnellIf you’re looking for something more light-hearted, why not try Sex and the City? Just as in the hit series, the book is a collection of newspaper articles that follow the lives and loves of the author and her friends in New York City. It will have you laughing, crying and everything in between.

6. The Hunger Games, Suzanne CollinsUnless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the popular film version of The Hunger Games, and we’d recommend seeing it if you haven’t already. But, before you do that, grab yourself the book series and indulge in the fantasy story of a young girl forced to take part in a televised fight to the death.

7. The Help, Kathryn StockettNot necessarily the happiest of books to read, but it’s a page-turner and we guarantee that once you start, you won’t be able to stop. Based in 1962 in Mississippi, it follows the lives of three ordinary women as they come together to start a fight for justice and equality.

8. Never Let Me Go, Kazuo IshiguroWe don’t want to reveal any spoilers on this one, so we won’t say much. All you need to know is that if you like a bit of science fiction that keeps you guessing and trying to work out what on earth is going on, this one is definitely the book for you.

9. White Teeth, Zadie SmithWidely regarded as one of the great works of 21st century fiction, White Teeth is entertaining and incredibly well written, following the very different lives of two wartime friends – Englishman Archie Jones and Bangladeshi immigrant Samad Iqbal. Two very different men with very different experiences of post-war England.

10. The Girl on the Train, Paula HawkinsIf you haven’t already read this psychological thriller, a holiday is a great time to indulge. It has grown increasingly popular since its release last year, mainly due to the fact that it’s gripping and incredibly difficult to put down once you’ve picked it up – perfect holiday reading! But hurry, the film version is set to premier later this year.

11. I am The Secret Footballer, Author UnknownIf you’re a football fan and haven’t read this, where have you been? It is penned by an undisclosed author known as ‘The Secret Footballer’, who claims to be English, married and played for at least two Premiership clubs. There are many theories on who it is, none of them confirmed. Happy guessing!

Hitachi Hints and Tips is intended to be informative and interesting. It does not constitute financial advice, and you should always do further research when making any financial decisions. All information was correct at date of publication.

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